Teens get prison for armed robbery spree

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SAN DIEGO — Two young men were sentenced to prison Thursday for robbing pedestrians at gunpoint and knifepoint during a crime spree in communities including Hillcrest, University Heights, North Park and La Jolla.

Victor Ledesma, 19, and 18-year-old Jonah Ledesma — who are not related — pleaded guilty in September to robbery, auto theft and evading police.

Victor Ledesma — who has a robbery conviction from 2012 — was sentenced to 21 years and four months behind bars.

Judge Timothy Walsh sentenced Jonah Ledesma to 13 years in prison.

Two 15-year-olds were also arrested in connection with the crime spree and were prosecuted in Juvenile Court.

Authorities said the crime binge began shortly after 12:30 a.m. Jan. 23 at First and Pennsylvania avenues.

Deputy District Attorney Jim Koerber said nine victims were held up during six incidents.

Officers caught up with the four suspects in Mission Beach about 2:15 a.m. and a pursuit ensued that ended in the Point Loma area when the suspects’ car ran over a spike strip and smashed into another car, police said.

Victim William Blumenfeld told the judge that he made a lot of mistakes when he was 18 and said throwing the “kids” (the defendants) in jail for a long time didn’t make sense.

But Koerber said the defendants embarked on a “night of terror and threats” during their series of robberies.

At any point the defendants could have stopped the robberies, but they didn’t, the prosecutor said.

2 comments

Proof that will always need protection from thugs! Took a long time for the cops to catch these jerks while innocent people were at grave risk! Wile guns are not for everyone my hat tips to the brave citizens who have protection for themselves and their loved ones! Having a choice in the future depends on your participation to keep new gun laws off the books! Pro Choice means NO NEW GUN LAWS! The laws are already the strictest in the Nation! Email your assembly members and tell them “NO NEW LAWS!” http://assembly.ca.gov/